The Sound Barrier and the Cockpit, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Not long ago, a new acoustic barrier, the Sound Barrier, appeared alongside the A2 motorway near Utrecht. The 1.5 km-long structure at Leidsche Rijn stands on a five metre high slope and is eight metres high on average. At the front, the Sound Barrier’s steel frame is covered with 8,300 triangular plates of predominantly grey-coloured reinforced glass, each 6 mm thick and with different dimensions and shapes (Pilkington Optilam™ and Pilkington Suncool™ based products). In the centre of the barrier is a building known as the Cockpit. It hosts the headquarters of the Hessing motor company, suppliers of Lamborghini, Maserati, Bentley and Rolls Royce cars. The floor area of the Cockpit is 5500 square metres, comprising a walkway, with offices on two levels.

The Sound Barrier

The ends of the barrier are shaped like a snake’s head and are lit up at night from

the inside. The front of the barrier is illuminated by LEDs. The glass is not mounted in a frame or on adaptors, but in rubber mouldings. The use of rubber helped to keep the project within the demanding budget. Any attempt to mount the glass using traditional frames and adapters would have sent the building costs far too high and glass as a cladding for the Sound Barrier would have been impossible.

The Cockpit

The Cockpit is 180 metres long, with a view over the A2 motorway. It consists of offices and the Hessing motor company showroom. The Cockpit incorporates structural glazing that is mechanically attached and built into the continuous frame of the barrier. In this respect the building appears to be fully integrated into the acoustic barrier.  The glass in the Cockpit comprises various elements. The upper section consists of Pilkington Insulight™ Sun 66/33 and the central section is Pilkington Insulight™ Sun 70/40.

The Sound Barrier and The Cockpit were awarded the Dutch Glass Award and the Steel Prize 2006.